Kael couldn't move.
Her words echoed inside his skull like a curse.
"You killed them all."
"No…" he muttered, shaking his head violently. "You're lying."
The girl didn't react.
She just kept walking toward him—slow, calm, as if she had all the time in the world.
"You always do this," she said softly.
"Deny. Break. Forget."
Kael's back hit the wall.
"Stay away from me!"
But she stopped just inches away.
Close enough for him to see his own reflection in her eyes.
Except—
It wasn't his face.
For a split second…
He saw something else.
Something darker.
Something… smiling.
Kael gasped and pushed her away, stumbling forward.
"What… WHAT ARE YOU?!"
The girl blinked, almost confused.
"Lira," she answered simply.
Then she leaned closer again, her voice dropping to a whisper:
"And I'm the only reason you're still alive."
Silence fell again.
But this time—
It felt heavier.
Like the room itself was watching.
Kael clutched his head.
Fragments of memories flickered again—
A long corridor.
People running.
Doors slamming shut.
And that same voice—
"Do it."
"End it."
"They'll betray you anyway."
"STOP!" Kael screamed, collapsing to his knees.
His nails dug into his scalp as if he could rip the thoughts out.
"They're not real… they're not real…"
Lira crouched in front of him.
"They are," she said.
And for the first time—
There was something in her voice.
Not emotion.
Not fear.
Something worse.
Certainty.
"Listen carefully, Kael," she continued.
"Right now, your brain is trying to protect you."
"From what?" he snapped, breathing heavily.
She paused.
Then said:
"From the truth that you begged us to erase."
Kael's vision blurred.
"Us…?"
Lira nodded slowly.
"You don't remember the facility?"
"No…"
"The experiments?"
"No!"
"The day everything went wrong?"
"I SAID NO!"
Suddenly—
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
Kael froze.
Even his breathing stopped.
"Lira…?" he whispered.
No answer.
Only silence.
And then—
A different voice.
Right behind him.
Low.
Cold.
Familiar.
"You shouldn't be talking to her."
Kael's body locked.
He couldn't turn around.
Couldn't scream.
Couldn't move.
The voice leaned closer.
"So tell me, Kael…"
A hand touched his shoulder.
"…which lie are you living in right now?"
The lights came back.
Instantly.
Kael spun around.
Nothing.
No one.
Only Lira standing where she was before.
Watching him.
Carefully.
"…You heard it too," Kael said, his voice shaking.
Lira didn't answer.
And that was enough.
"Who… was that?" he asked.
Her eyes darkened slightly.
And for the first time—
She hesitated.
"…That," she said slowly,
"…is the part of you that we failed to erase."
Kael's heart dropped.
"What do you mean… 'part of me'?"
Lira stepped back.
As if preparing for something.
Or someone.
"Kael…" she whispered.
"You don't just have missing memories."
She looked straight into his eyes.
"And you're not alone in your head."
A pause.
A long, suffocating pause.
Then—
Kael smiled.
But he didn't mean to.
His lips moved on their own.
His eyes lost focus.
And a different voice came out—
Calm.
Cold.
Terrifying.
"…Finally."
Lira's expression changed instantly.
Not fear.
Not shock.
Recognition.
"…You're awake," she said quietly.
Kael—no…
Something else—
tilted his head.
Smiling wider.
"And you…" it said,
"…you should have stayed out of this."
—End of Chapter 2